worship

Agency in Our Belief & Praise

January 20, 2021 — Leave a comment

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14

Hearing leads to belief. Belief leads to inclusion. Inclusion leads to promise. Promise leads to praise. The middle part of this journey — inclusion & promise — are guaranteed! When you have the belief, you are included. Period. When you are included and stamped with the Spirit of God, you are part of the promise and your inheritance is locked in. It’s the beginning and living out of this journey where we have more agency.

Hearing to Belief. There is a choice to be curious and open. You don’t have to be ripped naked and have all other noises zoned out. You simply need to have some part of your heart tuned in to the message of the gospel. The beauty of the gospel is that it comes in all languages, mediums and methods. If there is space, it can find its way in. And the belief doesn’t have to be outwardly demonstrative. I believe gravity exists — I don’t think about that every moment of my life even though that belief is my whole existence on earth. Same with belief in the gospel. It can come in and out, and be louder at certain moments when you choose to notice, and quieter when you simply trust it’s swimming in your existence.

Promise to Praise. There is a choice here to be generous and brave. You don’t have to be annoyingly overspiritualized and add #blessed to every social media post. You simply are aware of this full deposit that you have. The beauty of the Holy Spirit is that it expresses in all kinds of manners. If there is a desire to share, it will ooze out. How can your praise exist in words and deeds? In moments of quiet and mundanity and in sacred and full times? If you have the promise and know the promise, can you open a little more today so we can see inside that transformed heart?

Work to Worship

September 25, 2020 — Leave a comment

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?’ Tell her to help me!’

‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’

Luke 10:38-42

Martha’s intentions are in the right place. Maybe her house was messy and she’s being a damn good host. She wanted to make her home hospitable for Jesus. Maybe she was prepping for all the other people who might come. She wanted to make sure everything was prepared so everyone felt comfortable. Someone needed to be on top of things! That someone was her! She was so focused on making the Lord and the place feel at home, she wasn’t at home herself.

What if God doesn’t need us to make him feel at home? What if he’s already at home and if we draw near, and that completes his welcome? What if he’s into the mess, and moreover, into inviting others into your mess? That’s our humanity, no? That’s what God needs from us: to show up and soak in his love when his presence is there. You will have so much more time to do things when he’s sent you out.

Don’t forget the why and who in the midst of your work. Then it becomes like work instead of worship. When you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, how does it affect how you see other people’s anxiety or peace? Do you question why they are not equally anxious? How does another’s worship affect you? Does it make you bitter? Does it make you draw near? These are trying times and there is a lot of grief and anger in the air. There is a lot of work to be done. Let’s approach our work not from a place of anxiety but from a place of surrender. You’re enough. Your presence is enough. Feel that power and then your next steps will appear.